Magnetic nerve stimulator
First Claim
1. A magnetic nerve stimulator comprising:
- power supplying means for supplying electric charge;
at least two capacitor means connected to said power supplying means for accumulation said electric charge from said power supplying means;
a coil connected to said capacitor means, said coil producing a magnetic pulse when one of said capacitor means discharges said electric charge through said coil and said coil forcing an electric current induced by the magnetic field energy from said coil to charge another of said capacitor means; and
at least two switching means for connecting and disconnecting said capacitor means to said coil to permit the charging and discharging of each of said capacitor means by turns.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A magnetic nerve stimulator comprises a capacitor which is charged to a high voltage, then discharged through a coil placed near the head. The magnetic field produced induces eddy currents in the brain that stimulate neurons. When the capacitor is fully discharged, the discharge path is broken by opening a switch. The inductive action of the coil forces a diode to turn on and the energy from the collapsing magnetic field around the coil charges a second capacitor. The charge on the second capacitor is augmented by a power source to make up for any losses, and the process is repeated. The stimulator of the invention can pulse rapidly, does not cause excessive heating of the coil, and uses comparatively little energy. As a result, high level cognitive functions in the brain can be disrupted for diagnostic purposes.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A magnetic nerve stimulator comprising:
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power supplying means for supplying electric charge; at least two capacitor means connected to said power supplying means for accumulation said electric charge from said power supplying means; a coil connected to said capacitor means, said coil producing a magnetic pulse when one of said capacitor means discharges said electric charge through said coil and said coil forcing an electric current induced by the magnetic field energy from said coil to charge another of said capacitor means; and at least two switching means for connecting and disconnecting said capacitor means to said coil to permit the charging and discharging of each of said capacitor means by turns. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A magnetic nerve stimulator comprising:
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power supplying means for supplying electric charge; at least two capacitor means connected to sad power supplying means for accumulating said electric charge from said power supplying means; a coil connected to said capacitor means, said coil producing a magnetic pulse when one of said capacitor means discharges said electric charge through said coil; at least two switching means for alternately connecting and disconnecting said capacitor means to said coil; at least two diode means connected between said coil and said capacitor means, said diode means being turned on by an inductive action from said coil forcing an electric current induced by the magnetic field energy from said coil to charge said capacitor means; and a relay means connected to said coil to reverse said coil'"'"'s connections between said magnetic pulses to prevent the direction of said magnetic field energy from reversing with each of said pulses; wherein a sum of resistance in said coil, said capacitor means, said switching means, and a cable connecting said coil, said capacitor means, and said switching means is minimized. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A circuit for producing a rapid train of large amplitude, short duration magnetic pulses comprising:
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power supplying means for supplying electric charge; at least two capacitor mans connected to said power supplying means for accumulating said electric charge from said power supplying means; a coil connected to said capacitor means, said coil producing a magnetic pulse when one of said capacitor means discharges said electric charge through said coil and said coil forcing an electric current induced by the magnetic field energy from said coil to charge another of said capacitor means; and at least two switching means for connecting and disconnecting said capacitor means to said coil to permit the charging and discharging of each of said capacitor means by turns. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method for magnetically stimulating nerves comprising the steps of:
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initially charging a first capacitor means with an electric charge; discharging said first capacitor means through a coil by closing a first switching means thereby inducing a magnetic pulse; disconnecting said first capacitor means from said coil by opening said first switching means; charging a second capacitor means using said coil'"'"'s magnetic field energy; discharging said second capacitor means through said coil by closing a second switching means; disconnecting said second capacitor means from said coil by opening said second switching means; charging said first capacitor means using said coil'"'"'s magnetic field energy; and repeating said discharging, disconnecting, and charging steps alternating between said first and said second capacitor means. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for magnetically stimulating nerves comprising the steps of:
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initially charging a first capacitor means with an electric charge; discharging said first capacitor means through a coil by closing a first switching means thereby inducing a magnetic pulse; disconnecting said first capacitor means form said coil by opening said first switching means; turning on a second diode means using an inductive action from said coil to force an electric current to flow into a second capacitor means to charge said second capacitor means; supplying additional electric charge from a power supplying means to said second capacitor means to fully charge said second capacitor means; revering said coil'"'"'s connections; discharging said second capacitor means through said coil by closing a second switching means; disconnecting said second capacitor means from said coil by opening said second switching means; turning on a first diode means using an inductive action from said coil to force an electric current to flow into said first capacitor means to charge said first capacitor means; supplying additional electric charge from said power supplying means to said first capacitor means to fully charge said first capacitor means; reversing said coil'"'"'s connections; repeating said discharging, disconnecting, turning on, supplying, and reversing steps alternating between said first and said second capacitor means; and producing a rapid train of large amplitude, short duration magnetic pulses, said train of pulses being sufficient to cause disruption of high level cognitive function in a human brain; wherein a sum of resistance in said coil, said capacitor means, said switching means, and a cable connecting said coil, said capacitor means, and said switching means is minimized to maximize recapture of said coil'"'"'s magnetic field energy.
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27. A method for producing a rapid train of large amplitude, short duration magnetic pulses comprising the steps of:
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initially charging a first capacitor means with an electric charge; discharging said first capacitor means through a coil by closing a first switching means thereby inducing a magnetic pulse; disconnecting said first capacitor means from said coil by opening said first switching means; charging a second capacitor means using said coil'"'"'s magnetic field energy; discharging said second capacitor means through said coil by closing a second switching means; disconnecting said second capacitor means from said coil by opening said second switching means; charging said first capacitor means using said coil'"'"'s magnetic field energy; and repeating said discharging, disconnecting, and charging steps alternating between said first and said second capacitor means. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A method for producing a rapid train of large amplitude, short duration magnetic pulses comprising the steps of:
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initially charging a first capacitor means with an electric charge; discharging said first capacitor means through a coil by closing a first switching means thereby inducing a magnetic pulse; disconnecting said first capacitor means from said coil by opening said first switching means; turning on a second diode means using an inductive action from said coil to force an electric current to flow into a second capacitor means to charge said second capacitor means; supplying additional electric charge from a power supplying means to sad second capacitor means to fully charge said second capacitor means; reversing said coil'"'"'s connections; discharging said second capacitor means through said coil by closing a second switching means; disconnecting said second capacitor means from said coil by opening said second switching means; turning on a first diode means using an inductive action from said coil to force an electric current to flow into said first capacitor means to charge said first capacitor means; supplying additional electric charge from said power supplying means to said first capacitor means to fully charge said first capacitor means; reversing said coil'"'"'s connections, and repeating said discharging, disconnecting, turning on, supplying, and reversing steps alternating between said first and said second capacitor means; wherein a sum of resistance in said coil, said capacitor means, said switching means, and a cable connecting said coil, said capacitor means, and said switching means is minimized to maximize recapture of said coil'"'"'s magnetic field energy.
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Specification